Merry Christmas to each of you celebrating this holiday today/tomorrow!

I’m often asked about last-minute holiday shopping deals, tips, etc. I actually just did an interview with Jayne O’Donnell at USA Today on this subject.

There are many great deals and discounts to be had – even today (Christmas Eve)! One tip that I think is understated is that it’s okay to buy your loved ones gift cards. In fact, I’d recommend that you buy gift cards instead of just running out and grabbing an obligatory Christmas gift. Here are my quick tips/reasons why you need to listen to me here:

More For Less – You can actually land a $100 gift card for $80…yes, that’s right, you can buy a gift card that is worth more than you pay for it! Check out gift card marketplaces like CardPool.com and PlasticJungle.com

Year-End Blowouts – Brick & mortar retailers often have a surplus of items that they have overstocked on their shelves throughout the holiday shopping season. Knowing that shoppers are in last-minute mode, they rarely lower the prices on these items until AFTER Christmas. The week between Christmas and New Years is an incredible time to walk into these retailers and find or bargain for a great deal (NOTE: don’t be afraid to ask for the department managers and haggle for a better price). Retailers don’t want to finish the year with this overstock and would gladly offload the merchandise to add to their bottom line here in 2012.

The Thought That Counts – This post is exactly what you need to share to go beyond anyone that claims a gift card is a thoughtless gift. The fact that you thought through the fact that they could do more and spend less…AND actually get something they wanted should overcome anyone’s negative feelings toward the gift card:)